But this happened at a time when we still had full faith in each other—when we had shared everything.
Or at least I had thought so.
Somehow she’d kept Captain Calder a secret from me, her parents, her sister—everyone. And after being separated by war for six long years, I’d completely misunderstood one of the best men I’d ever had the privilege of meeting. I had put every ounce of my overzealous effort into making certain they never had a chance to be alone together.
I was, without a doubt, a most reprehensible creature.
Laughter sounded behind us, a sound so foreign to me in that moment it took me longer than it should have to understand what I was hearing. I cursed softly. It would only take a few minutes before the men finished cleaning and came up behind us. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t face Captain Calder. He would read ... something in my face. If the concern emanating from Lieutenant Davis was an accurate measure, I must look a fright.
I pulled on Davis’s arm and we continued our return.
Lieutenant Davis sneaked glances at me now and again but he said nothing. I’d been right in choosing the quietest of the men to escort me back. Neither of us spoke another word as we climbed the terrace.
I didn’t care what I looked like. I’d ruined the Pryor family reputation by keeping Matilda’s elopement a secret and now I was standing in the way of Hattie’s chance at happiness—a happiness that, according to Lieutenant Davis, she had put on hold for the pastsixyears.
I excused myself the moment we reached the upper gardens. Lieutenant Davis pulled his elbow into his side, trapping me, but not with excessive force—just enough for me to look at him for the first time since he’d spoken of the woman with the glove.
His eyes searched mine. “I hope I didn’t say anything to upset you.”
“You didn’t,” I assured him with a smile. “I’m very grateful.”
“May I say one more thing, even if perhaps it is imprudent of me?”
That hadn’t stopped him earlier. “Of course. I would be disappointed in anything less.”
“I don’t know who that woman is, but when I see the way he is with you, I wish she was you. He deserves to be that happy.”
Blast. My smile faltered in a shaky manner he was certain not to miss. But he was wrong. Dead wrong. He hadn’t heard the despondent way Captain Calder had asked about Hattie’s feelings for Brookhouse.
“I don’t think I’ve made him very happy at all.” My eyes slid to where Hattie sat. “Quite the opposite, actually.”
Lieutenant Davis frowned and searched my face again as if he wanted to say something, but after a moment of indecision he simply gave me a bow.
The moment he left my side, I strode to the table where Hattie sat. I tried to keep my pace in check. The last thing I wanted was for Davis to notice that I practically ran to Hattie after our conversation, but whether he took note or not, I had to speak to her.
Hattie beamed up at me from her chair. How could she even bear to look at me, let alone give me one of those full, dimpled smiles of hers? “Congratulations,” she said with such sincerity I had to reach for the back of a chair to steady myself.
Mama and Aunt Pryor congratulated me as well. I shook my head and took a seat, trying to look as calm as possible. “I didn’t win.”
“Why not?” Mama asked in surprise.
“There wasn’t a winner,” I said quickly.
“Oh really? We couldn’t tell that from here.” Aunt Pryor took a sip from her tea cup and then glanced at me from over the rim. “We only noticed that you and the captain faced each other longer than any other pair.”
“True, but it was a stalemate. We each lost to the other and nobody won.”
Despite my clarification, Mama and Aunt Pryor insisted on relaying details of the competition. I forced myself to pretend interest for a few heartbeats, but then I leaned over to Hattie and whispered, “I need to talk to you.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “Now?”
“Yes, right now.” I stood and made an excuse about being too long in the sun. Mama laughed softly at that, most likely because it was a sentence I’d never uttered in my life.
I tugged on Hattie’s hand. I needed to remember how to breathe normally and that wasn’t going to happen until I’d heard the full story of exactly what had happened between her and Captain Calder. She laughed and pulled her hand away from mine so she could straighten her skirts. “I’m coming.”
I tapped my toe until she was situated according to her liking, then nodded toward the house. “To the library.”
I marched ahead, not waiting for Hattie, leaving doors open behind me as I went. The moment I entered the library, I checked every corner to make certain no one was there and then turned to see Hattie only just reaching the door, her eyebrows furrowed, but her mouth still characteristically turned up in a grin. I pulled her in and shut the door behind us. She looked as though she was waiting on the smallest of things to tip her smile over the edge and into laughter. “What happened? I’ve never seen you in such a state.”
